UG renames Sociology department’s library after late Professor Max Assimeng

The University of Ghana (UG) has at a ceremony on Friday, 2 August 2024, renamed the library of its Department of Sociology after the renowned late Sociology Professor, and academic luminary John Maxwell Assimeng. The late Professor Assimeng was one of Ghana’s foremost sociologists and lectured at the Department of Sociology for over 45 years.

The ceremony followed a gesture by the three children of the venerated late professor – Shirley Assimeng Stobie, Sylvia Assimeng Archer and Dr (Mrs) Joycelyn Assimeng Dame to renovate and re-equip the library as part of activities to mark the 10th Anniversary of the death of the professor who passed away in July 2014.

As part of the refurbishment exercise carried out, the exterior of the entire library building and three other office spaces that are part of the library block were renovated and repainted. The interior of the library block was also renovated and fitted with modern tiles, new lighting, air conditioning, new storage lockers for students and new books.

The renovated library was officially commissioned at a ceremony held at the forecourt of the Sociology Department on Friday, 2 August 2024. The ceremony attracted participants from the academia, government, faculty, students and family members of Professor John Maxwell Assimeng.

Guests at the ceremony included the Chief Justice of the Republic, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo, Senior Presidential Advisor and lifelong friend of the late Professor, Yaw Osafo Marfo, former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Ocquaye, prominent academic and politician, Professor George Hagan, Prof Kwame Karikari, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye, Minister for Roads and Highways, Diana Asonaba Dapaah, Deputy Minister for Justice and Deputy Attorney General, among others.

Opportune celebration

Addressing attendees of the ceremony, the Chairperson for the occasion and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said celebrating the late Professor Assimeng 10 years since his passing in 2014 is opportune.

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo noted that the renovation of the library by the family of Professor Assimeng falls within the University of Ghana’s strategic plan which was launched two weeks ago and took effect on 1 August 2024. In the strategic plan, Professor Aba Appiah Amfo said UG plans to achieve global impact through innovative research, teaching and learning using a technology driven and a people centred approach.

“If we look at what his (Professor Assimeng) life stood for, what we have heard this morning, what we are about to see with this refurbished library, we can see that we (University of Ghana) are right on course,” Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo said.

“I like to assure the family that we commit to take good care of what you have provided for us. We seek to continue to partner with you with regard to the maintenance of this facility. But we have the primary responsibility to ensure that when you come back here in two years from now or five years from now, this library is not dilapidated,” she added.

Huge blessing

The Head of the Department of Sociology, Professor Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya, in his address expressed his profound gratitude to the family of Professor Maxwell Assimeng for their decision to renovate the library of the Sociology department.

“The Department’s decision to honour Prof. Assimeng has yielded some positive results. The family has come forth to renovate the department’s library. The library has undergone a profound transformation. The floor has entirely changed with new tiles. There is a new wiring system that connects almost every seat to power to enable users connect to their gadgets.

“There are newer and bigger bookshelves, and a new reserved section for the works of Professor Assimeng. The entire furniture has been changed completely. There are twelve new lockers for students to keep their bags and other items whilst in the library, thus ensuring security of valuables. The lighting system has also witnessed a remarkable change. There are two new air conditioners and two new desktops for the library,” Professor Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya said.

New award by Professor Assimeng’s family

Professor Anamzoya disclosed that, Professor Assimeng’s family has also instituted an annual award scheme called the John Maxwell Assimeng Award for the Best Female Student in Sociology. An initial deposit of $2,500 has already been paid into the accounts of the College of Humanities for the next five years.

“This is a huge blessing to the Department, but more importantly, after the Department received this award scheme, two additional families unbeknown to each other, have also brought letters to the Department, expressing their desire and willingness to institute separate award schemes in the Department. I stand on behalf of the Department of Sociology to express our sincerest gratitude to the Assimeng family for all these positive things, Professor Anamzoya further stated.

“I want to assure them that the refurbished library would be put to the best use for students and faculty, and further promise them that the award would be given uncompromisingly to the actual person deserving it. I want to urge students in particular to handle every item in the library with extra care in order to preserve the facility for future generations,” he added.

Beacon of knowledge

Dr Mrs Jocelyn Assimeng Dame, daughter of Professor Maxwell Assimeng and wife of the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in a statement eulogized her late father noting that he was more than a professor of sociology.

“He was a beacon of knowledge and kindness. From humble beginnings – bereft of formal secondary education – he attained the highest academic heights possible, earning a first-class degree at the University of Ghana and proceeding to Oxford University, UK, where he excelled and obtained his PhD.

“Driven by his love for his motherland, passion for education and the desire to uplift others, he returned here to teach and dedicated the rest of his life to the University of Ghana. He was devoted to pursuing knowledge and improving society, as beautifully eulogised by colleagues, students, and his family.

“He encouraged countless students to dream big, work hard, and strive for excellence. His kindness extended beyond his professional life; he even took it upon himself to support the education of other family members. His commitment to education, indeed, knew no bounds,” Dr Mrs Jocelyn Assimeng Dame remarked.

“Renovating this library has been a labour of love, a tribute to a man who believed education was the key to unlocking one’s potential and liberation from the shackles of poverty. We wanted to create a space that preserves his memory and serves as a sanctuary of knowledge and inspiration, just as he envisioned.

“This exercise is not only our commitment to the fulfilment of his vision, but also our little token of appreciation for the community in which we grew up and have lived for more than half of our respective lives. It is our quest to further his vision of a world where knowledge is accessible and ideas are exchanged freely,” Dr Jocelyn Assimeng Dame further remarked.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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